How do you see North Mundham in the future? What are the ...

[Pages:6]North Mundham Parish Council



email: clerk@

Tel: 01243 203050

1 Charlmead East Wittering Chichester West Sussex PO20 8DN

How do you see North Mundham in the future? What are the things that are important to you?

What are the things you would like to change?

Do you want to Shape the Future of where you live or work?

Find out more information on the Neighbourhood Development Plan inside ........

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

1

Spring Greetings Welcome to our community newsletter

You are invited to the 2019 Annual Meeting of the

Parish Electors of North Mundham

To be held in

North Mundham Village Hall on Tuesday 19th March at 7pm

Displays, presentations and updates on issues that affect all of us in North Mundham, Runcton & South Mundham

? Neighbourhood Plan Update ? Parish Council Elections ? A Chance to air your views

We seek your views and ideas for the coming year in your parish

Your Parish Council

Denia Turnbull t:788640

Frances Neave t: 782391

d.turnbull@ f.neave@

Tim Russell t: 781052 t.russell@

Rob Callaway-Lewis t: 07880713159 r.callaway-lewis@

Paul Chivers t: 789990 p.chivers@

Keith Phillips t: 07980668612 k.phillips@

Annie Maclean t: 262569 a.maclean@

Peter Stephens t: 0774768699 p.stephens@

Hugo Wall t:278542 h.wall@

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

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Chairman's Report

Planning has been the most significant theme during the past year. We have considered a number of applications and try to respond in a way that takes account of the effect on the whole local population. Typically, we deal with two or three applications each month, and also consider applications in adjacent parishes if they might have an effect on our Parish. It is important to remember that we are not the planning authority, so it is not our decision whether or not a planning application is approved. But we are consulted on most applications and have the opportunity to make our views known to the District Council.

But planning applications have not been the most important activity. As many of you will know from the local newspapers, the District Council is having to review its Local Plan, and the details we have been consulted on so far have made it clear that we will probably have to find sites for at least 50 houses in the parish in the next 25 years. Our best way of making our views known, and making our solution part of the local plan, is to come up with our own Neighbourhood Development Plan. You will hear much more about this in the coming weeks, and we will need your help.

Your Parish Council has also been actively engaged in a number of other activities that people might take for granted, such as maintaining the bus shelters and arranging for the `dog bins' to be emptied. We also try to make sure that landowners fulfil their responsibilities to cut roadside hedges and keep the ditches and culverts clear ? the highways authority only clears the culverts that run underneath the roads. If we see road signs or potholes that need attention, we try to ensure that they get reported to the highways authority as well. But perhaps the most significant thing we take care of is the management of the Village Hall, making sure it is kept in a good state ? we try to arrange that the hall is self-funding as far as its running costs are concerned, but make sure that we make arrangements for the longer-term funding for its maintenance.

During the past year we have also managed the Open Gardens day, raising funds which normally go to a local charity, and organised litter-picking sessions which raise no money at all but leave the parish looking a little bit tidier.

If you would like to know more about what we do and what we plan to do, especially in terms of the Neighbourhood Plan, you will have an opportunity to hear more, and ask questions, at the Meeting of Electors on Tuesday, 19 March.

Tim Russell Chairman North Mundham Parish Council t.russell@

NORTH MUNDHAM VILLAGE CENTRE

Having a family celebration? North Mundham Village Centre is an ideal venue.

Talk to our Booking Secretary Terry Reed : 01243 264028 Mob: 07801798302 or email: nmvh.bookings@

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

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NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN

MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE TO THE FUTURE OF YOUR COMMUNITY

The District Council is reviewing its Local Plan, which will shape our local environment for years ahead. To make sure that we exercise as much influence as we can over the way it will affect our Parish, we need to put together our own Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Neighbourhood Plans have real legal force and allow the local community to specify what they expect from future development in their area.

Reflecting the range of local wants and needs it will form a statutory part of the development plan for the area alongside the District Council Local Plan.

Without a Neighbourhood Plan, we will struggle to maintain control and influence on matters affecting the future of our Parish. This is a vital piece of work to ensure our Parish develops in the way that the local community wants.

One of our biggest challenges will be defining where we can find room for 50 new houses as required by the District Local Plan and how we cope with external pressures of development in neighbouring parishes.

Creating a Neighbourhood Plan is a community-led project and not a task that the Parish Council can complete on its own.

Could you work with us to help develop our vision and policies? You will contribute to the development of proposals for improving the area dealing with a range of social, economic and environmental issues.

Ideally, we need people with experience in areas such as communication, evidence collecting, data gathering and analysis. An interest in the key issues of transport, highways, local services, the natural environment, housing and business development would be helpful.

Don't worry if your particular experience doesn't match any of the above - the most important thing is that we require people with a passion and desire to take part and contribute to a positive future for the Parish.

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of our Parish over the next 15 years. Don't let's waste it.

If you want to get involved or know more, please get in touch with any of the councillors. But in any event, come to the Meeting of Electors on 19th March, which will be almost entirely devoted to the Neighbourhood Development Plan..

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

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Budget Time! ? The NMPC Approach (A brief summary)

North Mundham Parish Council (NMPC) has a responsibility to get as much value out of the funding it receives for the benefit of the parishioners and to meet its statutory duties. One of the statutory tasks is the preparation of an annual budget. The final approved budget results in the council setting the precept (the amount requested from Chichester District Council) which then forms part of the Council Tax charge.

Planning the next budget usually begins in October / November and for NMPC this means the start of several meetings for the Budget Working Party. It is at these meetings that the areas requiring expenditure the following year are discussed and agreed upon. There are various approaches that can be taken in setting the budget and the starting point for us is to review the current year's budget and spending. The aim of this is to identify any items that we know will be required the following year and therefore will again need a budget and any Items that were `one off' for the year and will not. The next stage is to identify any items that will be new for the next year, these can come from variety of sources including plans on what the council wants to achieve and by when (Strategic Action Plan).

One of the difficulties in budgeting is in determining accurate costs and this is estimated using the best information available. For any existing activities carried forward this is relatively straight forward by adjusting the cost to the level of expected activity or price rises in new contracts or wage increases etc.

The Council Taxbase is another factor that affects how much we may need for the precept. The taxbase relates to the number of homes in the parish at council tax band D. However, it is adjusted for items like disabled relief, discounts and exemptions and provision for bad

debts. The tax base figures are expressed as Band D equivalents. Once the working party is content with the draft budgeted figures, levels of reserves (both designated and undesignated) and the precept required, it will be taken to the full council meeting in January for approval.

The full council is provided with all the information required for the councillors to make an informed decision and approve the budget and confirm the precept.

The 2019/20 budget for NMPC was approved on 8th January 2019 the details of which can be found on the Parish website () with explanations of various aspects affecting the budget contained in the minutes including adjustments to reserves.

The expenditure budget for the Parish Council was set at ?32,835.54. However, a commitment to produce a robust Neighbourhood Plan will require investment and on the working party's recommendation the Council agreed to assign ?4,025.00 toward its production. The precept for 2019/20 was set at ?37,560.54, amounting to ?61.76 for a Band D property.

The Village Hall budget is set and agreed alongside the NMPC budget and approved at the same full council meeting. The setting of the village hall budget follows the same process as the main council budget with the addition of larger income streams generated by hall hire etc.

The expenditure budget for the Village Hall was set at ?20,277.40.

The budgets are then monitored at each Parish Council meeting.

`Friends of the Old Ford to Hunston Canal' have a Facebook page and would welcome members who can contribute to its aims of : recording information relating to the canal, maintaining access to canal footpaths, preserving the remains of the canal. The group would welcome anyone in the parish who can offer help and share information to ensure that this route is preserved throughout.

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

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Recently there have been some incidents of thieves entering homes while the occupants were busy within the house and completely unaware of the visitors. Seeing purses or money lying on surfaces, these are easily grabbed without the householder realising there has been any kind of entry.

If such an incident happens to you please inform the Police, 0845 60 70 999 ( non emergency) you may not get a handsome detective to investigate but you will at least get a crime number which will substantiate your ongoing cancellation of cards or renewal of identity documents.

Significantly it will also be entered in to the crime statistics for this area, which will help show a true reflection of the crime in the area and ensure our police force get the funding required

Problems with the Sewage System

This is the time of the year when we can expect heavy rain, and one of the unpleasant consequences can be flooding from the sewage system ? we have already experienced one instance in Church Road over a couple of days just before Christmas.

The responsibility lies with Southern Water, and they are the first people to call if you have a problem ? the number is 0330 303 0368.

But please let us know as well, so that we can build a record of such incidents. This helps us to argue the case when we are considering development proposals which might put an additional load on the system.

OPEN GARDEN 2019

The popularity of the Parish Open Gardens continues to arouse a great deal of interest drawing out the creative talent and those seeking new ideas to embellish their own patch. Opening on Sunday June 23rd in rising summer this year the bloom and blossom will probably have variations according to the different weather patterns we are now experiencing, which of course will add to the gardener's delight or dismay and the viewer's understanding. Further details will be found on the Parish Web site nearer the date.

Schedule of Meetings

All Planning Meetings will commence at 18.45

and Full Council will commence at 19.15 or

immediately following the Planning Committee Meeting at North Mundham Village Hall unless

advertised to the contrary. There is no meeting in August.

2nd April 14th May

Planning Committee & Employment Committee

Annual General Meeting

21st May 4th June

Planning Committee Planning Committee

2nd July 3rd September 1st October

Planning Committee & Full Council

Planning Committee & Full Council

Planning Meeting

5th November 3rd December

Planning Committee & Full Council

Planning Committee

7th January 2020

Planning Committee & Full Council

North Mundham Parish Council Newsletter

Spring 2019

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